This will be my real first continuous long run. I had of course some 30km plus days, but never in one run and haven’t been doing over 25km runs for a very very long time. In preparation to the French National Trail Champs the https://www.traildelacitedepierres.com/, I am really going to dial in race nutrition. This time the focus is only on race-day nutrition, to see how to stomach is handling the elevated caloric intake. As time goes on, the long runs intensity will be higher and working out the types of foods for the day before is going to be important too. You know, normally I go out and run for hours with 2 gels and salted water, but for 68km all out, this is not going to work. I would need at least 320kcals an hour, but more likely well above that. Also, my long runs need to be worked on a way, that recovery is already included in the run itself, to be able to keep going with the high mileage training the following week.
Breakfast:
- Cafe (No Sugar no milk)
- 100g soaked oat porridge, with a spoon of jam and 4 dates => around 400kcals total +
- A full amino acid mix: 3.5g of Beta Alanine + 3.5g Citrulline Malate & 5g of Glutamine + 5g EAA + 5g Creapure
- 1g of Taurine + 1g of NAC
- 40g – 160kcals of Vitargo just before starting running + 800mg l-Carnitine
Race simulation feeding: 2 x 16km D+750m /R 5min (Effort FCMAX 140)
- 80g 320kcal Vitargo en 500ml eau + Quinton dilué (sel complex) + 1gel 72kcal
- Pause: 40g de Vitargo + 800mg l-Carnitine
Amino acid mix: 3.5g of Beta Alanine + 3.5g Citrulline Malate & 5g of Glutamine + 5g EAA
Pack of Organic Chocolate Coco Rice cakes (changing texture, see digestion, chew) 447kcal - 80g 320kcal Vitargo en 500ml eau + Quinton dilué (sel complex) + 1gel 72kcal
20min recup
10g EAA + 10g Glutamine + 5g creatine + 20g glucose
For this 4-5hours of aerobic training of around 40km D+1500m running, warming up and cooldown included in -2°C celsius, I would consume around 1400kcals, breakfast and amino acids not included. At this moment I am 80kg, so that would mean 80g of carbs an hour as a strict minimum, arriving to 80 x 4 x 4-5h = 1280 to 1500kcals. Also I would like to consume at least 0.5l of fluids / h as minimum. 2L to 3L of fluid. I am a big drinker and mostly have no issues with this, except, that it is cold as hell so I would definitely need to up the ante as I am having a hard time doing that in these chilly temps !
The long run went extremely well, with absolute no energy lows, but stable flowing juices and motivation all the way ! It was actually quite amazing to see that. The recovery was also just amazing ! I mean after 38km of a great aerobic push, I was still just as in of a great shape, than preceding the run itself ! I could have done it again !
2 days after I smoked out a fabulous VO2Max workout, so it was not only my perception, but recovery was really quite fast !!!
https://www.strava.com/activities/8432028851
Then I went out last weekend again, what was a higher altitude, big climb long run on a very cold day. I missed out on the mid run AA mix and I also had only two bottles of water with me with only about 100g of carbs together, 4 gels ( 4 x 72 kcals) and a pack of dark chocolate rice cake.
No issues what so ever and completed the run perfectly. However, I had multiple energy swings and was not feeling like a super champ all the time. I was never struggling or feeling low, nor slowed down. However, I had to manage my energy levels mentally in some occasions. I refuelled after the run and basically was eating all day long.
https://www.strava.com/activities/8464144457
The next day I doubled up with another long run of 26km, but with only a 650m of elevation gain. I had only 1 bottle of 600ml with 80g of Vitargo and 3 gels of 25g of carbs. I was quite fatigued waking up, but after 80g of porridge with dates, jam and p-butter, I was feeling better. Very cold and underdressed, but the run went well, despite the low energy at around 17km. Probably because of the cold, the concrete and underfuelledness, I slipped a disk or displaced a rib, so I had to slow down for at least 3 minutes.
https://www.strava.com/activities/8469378431
Conclusions
No half assing, like Goggins said. Do it properly like on the first run, if had pace, effort, recovery and race practice objectives. Or, have metabolic goals, like fat burning, adapting and running on the thin edge of bonking with amino acids and no sugar. Run shorter, like 2 to 2.5h and plan a big recovery afterwards. It depends.
Boundless Runner 
Leave a Reply